Many types of rheumatoid arthritis medications can harm your unborn child during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor before you become pregnant, because it's best to avoid certain rheumatoid arthritis medications for several months before conception.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your body's immune system mistakenly begins to attack the tissues around your joints. Many rheumatoid arthritis medications work by suppressing your immune system. Other commonly prescribed drugs control inflammation.

Different types of drugs carry different risks. Some can produce birth defects, while others can cause miscarriage. Some drugs used for rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk of high blood pressure or diabetes for a pregnant woman.

The timing of when the drugs are taken within the pregnancy can also be important. For example, some medications may cause problems only in the third trimester, while others should be avoided completely.

Rheumatoid arthritis medications to avoid during pregnancy and breast-feeding include:

Methotrexate (Trexall). One of the most commonly used medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate can induce miscarriage early in pregnancy. Taken later in pregnancy, it can cause birth defects affecting the brain and bones.

Leflunomide (Arava). Doctors recommend avoiding this drug even before conception because it can remain in the body for a long time. Taking another medication, called cholestyramine, can help speed the elimination of leflunomide from your body.

Biologic response modifiers. Because there is limited information about the safety of this class of drugs during pregnancy, doctors typically recommend avoidance if you're planning to conceive. Examples include anakinra (Kineret), rituximab (Rituxin), abatacept (Orencia) and tocilizumab (Actemra).

It's important for women who are taking these types of medications to use contraception. If you're planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about switching to different types of rheumatoid arthritis medications that are less risky during pregnancy.

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